Does Hula-Hooping Get Rid of Love Handles?

by
ANDREA CESPEDES Last Updated: Jul 18, 2017

Andrea Cespedes

Andrea Cespedes is a professionally trained chef who has focused studies in nutrition. With more than 20 years of experience in the fitness industry, she coaches cycling and running and teaches Pilates and yoga. She is an American Council on Exercise-certified personal trainer, RYT-200 and has degrees from Princeton and Columbia University.

Couple using hula hoopsPhoto Credit Fuse/Fuse/Getty Images

Although hula hoops have moved off the patio into group fitness classes, they are not a panacea when it comes to slimming your middle and getting rid of your love handles. Gyrating your hips to spin the hoop can help you burn calories, but it won't magically make those pesky love handles shrink. Spot reducing any body area is simply impossible.

Abdominal Challenge

Because spinning the hoop around your middle engages your hips, thighs and abdominals, you may feel like it must be doing something for your love handles. Though you are strengthening your core, this won't make the layer of fat making up your love handles disappear. Only a calorie deficit achieved by burning and eating fewer calories helps you lose fat. Even when you manage to lose fat, it may not immediately happen around your love handles.

A Calorie Burner

If you enjoy hula hooping, do it along with strength-training. Also, eat a low-calorie diet to help you whittle your whole frame. A hooping class that involves choreographed dance moves burns an average of 210 calories in 30 minutes, according to a 2011 study sponsored by the American Council on Exercise. You need a loss of 3,500 calories to lose a pound.